Introducing The Owning Pink Center & The Pink Partnership Agreement

Hiya Pinkies! As many of you know, I have been struggling for six months over whether or not to leave my job at the integrative health center where I work. On one level, I adore the people, the space is gorgeous, and my patients are treasures. Compared to my old job in the crazy busy managed care practice where I used to work, it's heaven. But deep down, I realize it doesn't align with my vision. Being there has been clipping my wings. And it's time to FLY.

Introducing The Owning Pink Center

So I took the leap of faith and submitted my resignation just before Christmas, without a clue what would happen next. More Pleaping (taking a Pink leap of faith!) Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Once again, I found myself letting go, surrendering into what will be, trusting God, and being open to Signs from the Universe. Well, wouldn't you know it, all the signs have aligned to allow me to bring Owning Pink into bricks and mortar in a beautiful space on 600 Miller Ave in Mill Valley, CA. The Owning Pink Center- where I will join forces with acupuncturists, a nutritionist, a psychologist, and Mojo Mentor Tricia Barrett, our Pink & Green cleanse expert- will be open soon, right down the street from where I have been practicing. It will give us a chance to bring Owning Pink into the real world, to ground what we've created in cyberspace and demonstrate how what we do can heal people. I'm VERY excited.

In the process of clarifying my thoughts and dreams, I have been doing a lot of writing about how I think health care can be best received by those in need of healing, and I decided to start with what I call the Pink Partnership Agreement, a contract between me and my patients. After I wrote it, I realized that this is very similar to what we do here at Owning PInk Central. We enter into sacred contract together- with the express purpose of healing ourselves and each other. So I wanted to share it with you here.

The Pink Partnership Agreement
As doctor and patient, you and I are entering into a partnership. As such, I feel it is important to clarify and agree upon what our relationship will entail.

Your Power to Heal
I am here to support you, guide you, offer you tools, and support your process, but I will not “fix” you - for I don't believe you are broken.

I believe you already have within you the power to heal yourself. When we meet, I will hold up the mirror so you can see that you already have what it takes to optimize your wellness and live the most joyous, vibrant, fulfilling, sexy, healthy life possible. You are here to be the force behind your own healing. If you are not ready to take this action step, I will be here to nurture and support you, but the process will be less powerful, with fewer results.

Respect for each other and the process

In order for our partnership to be successful, we must respect each other. I will offer you a treatment plan, but I will also invite you to listen to the intuition of your body and your soul. I will respect your autonomy, and the choices for how we proceed will always be yours.
We will respect each other’s time. I will not make you wait for your appointment, and you will not be late. We must be present, fully and completely, during our time together. This means we will both turn off cell phones, let go of distractions, and focus all of our energy on your wellness. We have to be open and tell the truth, even if it is painful or uncomfortable. We must trust that we are safe together, so we can explore things that may be tough to explore. We must open our hearts to the loving kindness and compassion that is a necessary part of any healing relationship.

My pledge to you
I promise to respect you, guide you, and help you discover the healing power within you. In exchange, I ask that you follow through on any treatment plan we agree upon. If our treatment plan does not resonate with your body’s wisdom, or if you have financial constraints, please tell me so that we can modify our plan. Follow through is key. We must walk this path together in order to manifest the results I know we can achieve.

This is YOUR life. OWN IT.
Are you on board? If so, sign here. (Insert your signature here!)

The Owning Pink Wellness Center Mission Statement

We believe that the power to heal lies within all of us. Rather than “fixing” you, we aim to offer you tools that will empower you to attain optimal wellness, vitality, and joy. We believe health is the foundation upon which we build the other facets of what makes us whole- our creativity, relationships, career, spirituality, sexuality, and life purpose. At Owning Pink, we hold up the mirror to reflect back to you what you already know but may not see- that you are beautiful, just the way you are, and that getting your mojo back is not only possible, it’s your birthright!

The Owning Pink Center Philosophy

The health care system in the United States may be broken, but we as individuals are whole, just as we are. At Owning Pink, we aim to create an entirely new way to heal- one that works from the inside out. Unlike traditional medical practices, where you may be herded in and out in 7 1/2 minutes, handed a prescription for drugs you may not understand, and wind up feeling worse than when you walked in, we strive to let the healing begin the moment you walk in the door. We value the opportunity to be present with you, to hold space for you, to listen, and to offer you our expertise as an equal partners in your wellness plan. We believe you are more powerful than you know, that you hold the keys to living fully right in your own hand. Our job is to help you use the keys you already possess and supplement anything else you might need to achieve your health and wellness goals.

Too many people walk around in a daze, unaware that there is a better life out there, just longing to be lived. When you lack energy, struggle to sleep, experience stress, feel depressed, dislike the way your body looks and feels, and suffer from symptoms and diseases, you may come to accept that this is simply life. We at Owning Pink believe there is more to life than just getting by. We believe you can get your mojo back- and have fun doing so. It’s what Owning Pink is all about- being brilliantly, gleefully, wholly healthy, inside and out.

As human beings, we may manifest symptoms and diseases, but underlying these external manifestations, our spirits know the answers to how we can live more vitally. We ask our clients questions such as “What does your body need to get better?” And we honor and cherish the answers that come up. We value the wisdom of the body and the enduring strength and resilience of the human spirit. We value YOU.

The practitioners at the Owning Pink Center are skilled at helping you access these answers to help you reclaim the life you know you’re meant to live. We call upon all of the tools in our collective tool boxes- using traditional Western medicine, natural and functional medicine, nutrition, bioidentical hormone balancing, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, therapy, raw foods/detox cleansing, and a variety of other alternative therapies to help you access what you need to achieve optimal health. Mostly, we practice love, with a little bit (okay, sometimes a lot) of medicine on the side. What does love have to do with medicine? Everything. Trust us on this. When we approach our bodies with love, acceptance, and nurturing kindness, we pave the way for magic to unfold, the kind of magic we’re blessed to witness every day.

We invite you to step up to the Pink plate. Are you in? We can’t wait to bear witness to your transformation.

So here's me, Pinkies- Pleaping! I'd LOVE your feedback! What resonates for you? What seems too woo woo or weird? How can we help patients understand what Owning Pink is all about in a medical practice? How are you Pleaping these days? What resistance keeps you from following your dreams?

Jumping off cliffs right and left,

Dr. Lissa

Lissa Rankin, MD

PS. Stay tuned for our new website, how to make appointments, and all the details that turn a dream into reality.

This blog, and the book on which it is based, is a complement to - not a substitute for - professional advice and intervention, and is not intended to replace the advice of a gynecologist or medical professional, who should be consulted about any health care issues that may affect the individual reader. The information contained in this book is the product of observations made by the author in her practice, as well as her review of relevant literature in her field of expertise. The literature at times reflects conflicting opinions and conclusions. The views expressed herein are the personal views of the author and are not intended to reflect the views of any group or organization with whom the author is affiliated.

Will you treat more than our pink places at Owning Pink? I'd love to embrace this approach with my other body parts. How nice to have a doctor who embraces the whole patient not just the sick places. One who understands there are ways to heal other than a prescription. Next time I'm in CA, I foresee a visit!

With over 70 students many were inspired by your words, while some agreed the wording might not work where they're headed. They all agreed to create something in their own voice to establish expectations in the patient/practitioner relationship.

Dear Lissa,
so wonderful and brave, to manifest your heart's longing in the practical concrete sense of opening a clinic! Wish I could find something like that in Montreal, but I do have naturopaths and healers near by. My poor GP is overwhelmed with seeing too many patients, had a heart attack last year, and cut back her hours.
I love your contract and am using it to help me write up an agreement for our women's circle (going on 5 years). A beautiful example, of how you lead by doing.
thanks Lissa
Jennifer

If ever there was a reason I would move to the other coast - THIS is it!
Beautiful!!! and yes, this is what healthCARE should be.
Lissa, I wish you much success in this amazing endeavour!
erin pickering

You, sweet Lissa, is the doctor every woman needs. I know from my experience with you that you are one that walks the talk. I am moved to my core by the power of your words and your promises, and I trust you will deliver on each and every pledge you have made; you already do. Best of luck to you and I know you will succeed beyond measures.

Thank you Cathy!
And yes, Danielle- it's for real! Can't believe it myself!
Stacey- big hugs to you!
And Janet, yes, this is the problem with health care today. HMOs force docs to herd patients through like meat and dairy. In my old practice, I was expected to see 40 patients/day in order to pay the overhead my boss kept ranting about. Truth is, the only reason I can do this now is that I am not a preferred provider for managed care, which gives me the luxury of TIME, which is where the healing lies. It's not perfect- because many cannot afford to pay beyond what their insurance covers, but I've realized that it's the way I must structure it to do my best work in the world. I pray for healing of the system, but until then, this is the best I can do.

i just wish I could have access. as a public servant who is tied to an HMO that herds me through like meat and dairy I could so use this... searching now for a new doc because the old one has dropped the ball so many times my trust is totally shot. and i am bleeding $ for mandatory institutional health coverage by my employer. makes me want to jump ship and come WORK FOR YOU!!!!!

Lissa, you are truly a healer in every sense of the word and right down to your pink core. This is beautiful, profound and immensely powerful. I think it needs to go in your next book.

This will surely light the way and begin to heal the doctor-patient relationship and medicine in general.

I love it all but my favorite part is this:

"Too many people walk around in a daze, unaware that there is a better life out there, just longing to be lived...It’s what Owning Pink is all about- being brilliantly, gleefully, wholly healthy, inside and out."

I might have to move back the the Bay Area!

Thank you for creating this, for sharing it and for being a true example of expansion and pleaping!

Oh, dear ones- how can I thank you enough for bearing witness to my dreams? You have inspired me. This practice would not be coming into being were it not for what we have created here. You have given me hope. You have reminded me why I went to med school in the first place. You have breathed life into what we are all co-creating....Bless you!

Lissa, I am so excited for you. You are a true inspiration and leader. You guide us and give us hope. You show us through your actions that when you take that PLEAP you can achieve your dreams. I am so grateful for you and this whole community. I know you will be a success with this new vision. Can't wait for your practice to open. I will have to rent a car and come across the bay.
Love and Blessings,
Caren

Oh thank you thank you Pinkies! Fred, you have been such an inspiration through this process- I know we share this vision...as do many of you Pink healers.

Erin, FOLLOW THAT DREAM! In fact, I can introduce you to my friend Dr. Charlotte Massey, a naturopath who recently graduated from Bastyr.

Marie, it touches my heart that my comment to you about PMS has helped heal you. We all have a sense of what will help us if only we listen. We know it when we hear it- it plunks into us like the truth. I'm so glad you're feeling better. People like YOU are why I do this.

And all the rest of you- oh, (sniff, wipe eyes), bless you. You are always such beautiful support. Thank you!

Oh, Lissa. As a former patient who had to break away from the medical field to find healing, I am applauding and wiping away tears over here. This is so beautiful and SO HUGE! I saw what you said above about this feeling vulnerable - be assured, this work you are doing is SO IMPORTANT. I have chills!

You are such an inspiration. This past weekend I took my Reiki journey a step further and the call to healing is getting stronger. The inner-pleap-debate I'm having is how to proceed - lately the recurrent thought in my mind is to go to Bastyr (University of natural medicine) for a degree or two in nutrition. I'm fascinated by the role diet is playing in this country's overall health, as one facet, anyway. We all know that emotional and energetic balance is really important, too. :)

Look at me, I am rambling here in your comments about my deepest thoughts and dreams. THAT is how inspiring you are! Congratulations on this awesome pleap, Lissa!

What a wonderful day this is! You are about to create the model of how healthcare will be delivered in this country. You are a trailblazer. My love and best wishes go out to you and to all who practice with you.

My gosh that was beautiful and moving. I have tears. Because it all makes sense and all seems so simple and common sense but there are not enough doctors out there that follow this way of thinking. Lord knows I am always feel uncomfortable at the doctors and also frustrated that never ask about diet or vitamins or anything other than what they can write a script for (even though I know there is a need for that). You helped me a several months ago by suggesting I cut out gluten to help my horrible PMS. A problem that I have gone to multiple docs for with no solution. And not once did they ever suggest a diet change (Well they did suggest cutting out caffeine but I have been caffeine free for years now). There answer was always I am getting older (33) and symptoms change. Anyway, you suggested that and it changed my life. No more horrible pms. So that inspired me to find a doc that has the same focus as you. It was not easy. Only one in my area. I see him for the first time on Monday and I am hopeful and excited and hope that he follows the same philosophy.

I just wish my Dr's Office had this contract!!! OMGOSH this is awesome and I am so proud of you for PLEAPING!! The best part about this contract is that you emphasize that the focus is on the patient and it really important. Today's health care has resorted to "Minute Clinics" and what you are birthing will bring hope to those including myself that there are Dr's...etc out there that care!!! YOU GO YOU PINK GODDESS YOU!!! XOXOXO

Woo hoo Lissa!!!! This sounds so perfect, truly a gift for all those who find their way to you. I have loved the online community of Pinkies, and have wondered longingly if I would ever meet any of you. Now I know I will!

Your approach to partnership is awesome. It's a breaking down of the old power structure, and an acknowledging of the innate wisdom in each of us which brings on true healing. Here's to taking back our own ability to "doctor" ourselves.

You will attract a savvy, centered, self-knowing type of clientele who will help you continue to chart your way forward. This is a no-brainer!!!

Oh, thank you Melissa! Trying to write all this down makes my brain hurt because it's SO important and so complex. And honestly- it feels really vulnerable. So bless you, sister. The validation means a lot to me.

When you comment on an Owning Pink blog post, we invite you to be authentic and loving, to say what you feel, to hold sacred space so others feel heard, and to refrain from using hurtful or offensive language. Differing opinions are welcomed, but if you cannot express yourself in a respectful, caring manner, your comments will be deleted by the Owning Pink staff.